Apparatus for manufacturing gas.



PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

NG GAS.

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J. J. JOHNSTON, DEGD.

J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR. APPARATUS FOR MANUFAGTURI APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 189

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No- 826,214. PATENTED JULY I7, 1905'? J. J. JOHNSTON, DEGD.

J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 897.

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PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

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No. 826,214. PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

J. J. JOHNSTON, DECD. J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1897.

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ILIHPYN PATENTED JULY 17, 1906. J. OHNSTON, DEGD. J. LEN, ADMINISTRATOR. APPARATUS PORMANUPACTURING GAS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT,17, 1897. A a SHEETS-SHEET 5.

, N e Q q wim WA a A A A No. 826,214. PATENTED JULY 17, 1906. J. J. JOHNSTON, DEGD.

- J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR..

APPARATUS FOR MANU GTURING GAS,

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. PATEN'TED JULY 17, 1906. J. J. JOHNSTON, DEGD. J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR.

. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 17, 1897- 8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

No. 826,214. PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

J. J. JOHNSTON, DEGD. 1 J. E. ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1897- 8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

-UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

JOHNSTON, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT C. ELLIS, OF PITTS- I BURG, BENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

V Patented July 17, 1906.

, Application filed September 17, 1897. Serial No. 662.051

To all whom it may cortcern:

Be it known that JAMES J. JOHNSTON, de-

' ceased, formerly a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbiana, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, did 'in his lifetime invent certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Manufacturing Gas;

and '1, JOHN E. ALLEN, residing at Columbiana, county of Oolumbiana, State of Ohio, administrator of the estate of the said JAMES J L JOHNSTON, do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear; and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. K

This invention relates to the manufacture of gas, and has for its object certain improve-- ments in and means for manufacturing heating and illuminating gas, which will be fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

With this object in viewcrude petroleum is used, and from it, by the apparatus hereinafter described, a heating-gas,an illuminatinggas, and a superior grade of refined oil is produced, which oil may be used to enrich a subsequent charge of crude oil in the manufacture of gas, or it may be stored and sold as an article of commerce for burningin lamps and for other purposes. By this apparatus all the oil charged into the generators may be evolved or converted into heating or illumie nating gas, or, a portion thereof, at certain stages in the operation, may be collected as a product of condensation or distillation in the orm of refined oil.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic elevation; Fig. 2, a diagrammatic plan view; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the air-heater and a side elevation of the air-pump, partly in section; Fig. 4, a vertical section of a washer or condenser; Fig. 5, .a vertical section and a side elevation, partly in section, of two connected generators; Fig. 6, a top plan of the upper tubesheet in the generators; Fig.' 7, an inverted plan of the lower tube-sheet; Fig. 8, a vertical section of the retorts and furnaces; Fig. 9, a vertical transverse section of the fixing apparatus and furnace; Fig. 10, a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 11, a verti- Cal section of the cooler; Fig. 12, a longitudiries of tubes e, which wall of the head 1'. I provided with a heating-coil s, which sur-- rounds the pipes m. The upper and lower 'nal section of the gas-burner; Fig. 13,:a side elevation ofthe residuaLoil'feeder, and Fig,

14 a top pla'n'view of the same.

' Referencebeing had to the drawings and the characters thereon, A indicates an airpump which maybe provided with a byass valve (1 to return the air to the cylinder w en working in excess of air re nected to the air-heater B 3, in which d are plates connected by a secommunicate with chambers f g, the former being the receivingchamber and the latterthe d1scharge-chamber. The chamber h around the tubes e is supplied with steam for heating the air, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The heater B is connected to the first'of a series of generators C by a pipe i, which discharges into the chamber 7'. The generators are each provided with two partition-plates 7c Z. To the plates 7c Z are permanent y'attached tubesm, the lower ends" of which in the detachable end piece or head 0 andby the plate Z. The plate 1 is provided wit numerous perforations p, the combined area of which should be equal to the area of the,

pipe '8. To. plate It is attached a pipe q the opposite end of which is attached to the side The generator C is also ends of said coil respectively commumcate with a steamsupply pipe t and a dischargepipe to, said pipes being provided with suit able branches and valves. 0 of each generator is connected to a pipe '0 by a branch w, having a valve 'y for supplying the charge of crude oil to the generators and for withdrawing heavy or residual oil.

The several generators are connected by the pipes 41, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 The last generator in the series is connected by pipe as to'a washer or condenser D, the construction of which is substantially the same as the generator C, with the heatingcoil omitted, and is shown in Fig. .4.

Y The washer or condenser D, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided with two partition-plates 1 2, to which are attached tubes 3, the lowerv (Fired and is conya ipe'b.= "The aconstruction of the-heater B is s own in Fig.

The lower head through pipe I) at' suitable intervals.

by communicating with the chamber 4 in the head 5, and the plate 2 is provided with perforations 6. At the upper end of the washer is a head Z, having a chamber 8, and communicates with the last generator by a pipe as, and with the main N by a pipe 9, and is provided with a valve and pipe 11 for discharging the water from the washer, which water is maintained at about the dotted line 12 or a little below the pipe I). 4

Gas from the last generator C, after passing through chamber 0;, enters the washer D through pipe as and fromchamber 8 passes down through tubes 3 into, chamber 4, from which it rises through perforations 6 in plate 2 and passes up throughthe water and is discharged through pipe 9 into mainN and passes on toward its final discharge. The

ght oil or distillate orresultant condensa tion of the oil in the gas or vapor collects on the surface of the water and is drawn off The washer is filled with water about to the dotted line or a little below the pipe b.

In the pipe 00 is formed an enlarged chamber 90, in which the gas expands, and part of the by-product or light oil, the result of dis tillation and condensation, is arrested and collected and drawn offat suitable intervalsthrough pipe and stored in .a receiv ing-tank M for subsequent use.

The washer is provided with valves 0 b, the former for supplying water thereto and the latter for drawing off refined oil.

To the washer D is connected the gasmain N, which is provided with a valve 0, and from the main a pipe d, provided with a valve ve, connects with the horizontal extension of the primary retort E.

The primary retort E is provided with a vertical extension f, through which it is charged with solids, and a horizontal extension g, through which the solids are removed.

F indicates the secondary retort, which is provided with a vertical extension it, through which it is charged with solids, and a horizontal extension 'L, through which the solids are removed. The retorts are provided with ordinary sight-gages (not shown) to indicate the height of liquid in the retorts.

The primary retort is connected to the secondary retort by a pipe 70, leading from the extension f, provided with a valve Z, and having a branch m, provided with valve 71/ and communicating with the exten sion i of the latter retort, and from the extension h of the secondary retort a pipe 0, having valve p, connects with the pipe 7c, and from pipe is a pipe q, having valve r, connects with the fixing furnace G, and from the pipe is a pipe 8, having valve connects with the main N, and a pipe 11/ connects with a cooler or condenser' H, and a pipe 2) with a washer I. The piper/L is provided with a valve w and the pipe 1/ with a valve y. By this construction of pipes and valves the gas from the washer D may all be directed into the main N, while the oil in generators, C is yielding rich gas, or part of the gas may be conducted into only one or both of the retorts, and the gas may, after leaving the secondary retort, be, conducted through the condenser H, or gas from the primary retort may be conducted into the fixing-furnace and from the fixingfurnace into the washer I.

The retorts'E and F are suitably supported in masonry and provided with gasburners 0, having gas-supply Pipes 6 for heating the residual oil charged into one or both of them and are provided with safetyvalves P and with thermometers and ressure-gages, which have been omitted rom the drawings to avoid crowding and causing confusion.

The gas-burners consist of a hollow cylindrical bodyf having a receiving-chamber g therein and provided with openings h at each end and an o ening Ron its upper side, a hollow cylindrica body k having a distributing-chamber Z therein, and the two chambers g and Z are connected by a pipe m which extends through the chamber g, is screw-threaded from apoint inside of the inner end of the bodyf to its outer end, and is provided with a series of perforations n within the receiving-chamber and a cap 0 at its outer end.

The openings h? are smooth-bored, and the pipe m is secured in position by nuts 12* p with packing g g inserted between them and the ends of the bosses r W. The opening 2' is internally screw-threaded to receive the gassup ly pipe 6 T he perforations n in the ipe m serve a twofold purposenamely, t ey admit the gas from the receiving-chamber g to supply the burner and also serve as a safeguard against the gas burning back into the source of supply. The perforations equal in number the discharge-tubes s and are of the internal diameter of the tubes-namely, onefourth of an inch. The discharge-tubes s are about twelve inches long and are ar-" ranged in a circle in the head t of the body 15 The gas flowing from the receiving-chamber g through pipe m into the distributingchamber Z expands in the latter chamber, and

thereby absorbs the pulsations of the air pump or from any other cause and produces a steady and uninterrupted flow of gas to the tubes 8 The burners O are surrounded by an annular air-sup lying chamber of, formed in the wall of tlie masonry, and may be pro vided with a valve 02 having a series of openings w to regulate the quantity of air admitted.

The combustion-chamber Q of the furnace is provided with perforated tile y", of refractory material, arranged at an angle to the plane of the burners and against which the gas from the burners and the air impinge as they enter the furnace, and underneath the tile is a chamber 2 filled with pieces of firebrick or other refractory material. The tile and the pieces of refractory material become highly heated, and the gas and air, striking the inclined surface, enter the(perforations,- are' burn with great pipes should be filled with small pipes for the pur ose of augmenting the heating-surface Wit which the gas comes in contact. The cylinder 0, connects with the pipe g,-and'the cylinder 0 connects by branch (1 with the pi e is, communicating with the washer I, w ich may be constructed the same as the washer D. From the washer I the .gas is conducted through pipe'd to a main N and then to a holder J.

The fixing ap aratus is supported inthe furnace G and is lieated by gas-burners e the flame from which is spread by contact with the ballsf which may be of fire-clay or other refractory material, resting upon'the gratebars of the furnace. The crown of the combustion-chamber of the furnace is provided with vertical passages g for the flame and heat to enter the chamber in which the fixing apparatus is placed, and from it the Waste products of combustion pass off through flues b into stack i The cooler'H consists of a pipe lcfwhich is contained in a tank Z supplied with running water to keep the pipe cool b any preferred arrangement of supply and ischarge pipes. (Not shown.) T he cooler is connected at its upper end to pipe 7c by a branch m provided with valve a and at its lower end it communicates withpipe d by pipe 0 provided with valve p The pi e k is provided with a valve 9 to cut 0 communication with the washer I, and the pipe (i with a valve. 1 to cut off communication between the washer and the main N.

K indicates a supply-tank from which oil is conducted through pipe 8 to pipe 1), which extends along under the entire series of generators C for charging them through the branches w and valves 3 and the heavy or residual oil is conducted through said valves, branches, and pipes 12 and t to the tank L.

l i In practice the heavy or residual oil is forced from the several generators C to the tank L by pressure of air from the pump A, and a suitab e connections.

connection may also be made from the pum to the tanks K and L for discharging their contents, as indicated in dotted lines at 3 4 in Fig. 1 and 2.

R indicates there sidual-oil feeder, connect ed to the retorts E and 'F by a vertical pipe a having valve 6 and horizontal pipe a and laterally-extending pipes c, d, having valves 6' f, and discharge into the retorts, respectively, through vertical pipes g and h. Thefeeder is preferably provided with a funnel i having strainer 76* to arrest any foreign matter, and with a valve 1, which controls the su ply to the feeder from a pump with The feeder is also provided with a sight-gage 'm to indicate the height of the oil in the feeder and with an airvalve n to relieve the feeder of air to charge it with residual oil.

In making heating-gas residual oil is sup plied to the primary retort E only in uantity to be vaporized and the vapor ming ed with the gaseous product coming from thegenerators; but in making illuminating-gas residual oil maybe supplied to both the primary retort E and the secondary retort F in the,

roportion of about twice the quantity to the fbrmer that is supplied to the latter.

Both the retortsv are supplied with a nonoleaginous carbonaceous substance, such as hard-woodv charcoal 0, which has been careful-1y selected to be free from bark, dust, or any solid matter of greater specific gravity than the'oil that may rest on the bottom of the retort to exclude oil from contact/with the metal, and thereby cause it to burn, or

coke may be used. Preference is, however,

given to charcoal.

The residual-oil tank L is connected to the pipe (I) by a pi e t having valve a and the refined-oil tan k Mis connected to the same pipe '0 by a pipe 12 having valve w and the pipe 0) is connected to a pump (not shown) by a pipe 3 so that all the oil used may be supplied and transferred by the same pum The several generators and washers s 'ould be provided with the ordinary sight-gage to indicate the height of liquid, asshown at 91 in Fig. 5.

Water is supplied to the several Washers or condensers by'means of pipe a5, branches b and valves 0 and the p1 e a connects with the pi e v for washing t e generators when desired In the practical demonstration of this in vention a large number of plants have been constructed for the purpose of ascertaining the best form of generators, and therefrom it has been concluded that the best results can be obtained by adopting the following pro portions, to wit: For generators three feet in diameter the height should be about fifteen feet, the pipes '5 connecting the generators about four inches in diameter, the tubes m about two inches in diameter, and a sufficient I.IO

' erators used.

ent, Serial No. 131,310,

number employed to furnish an area a little greater than the cross-sectional area of the pipe 'i. t For generators four feet in diameter the height should be twelve feet, pipes fi five inches, and tubes m two inches. For generators five feet in diameter the height should be ten feet, the pi es 1', eight inches, and tubes m two inches. 11 all of the generators the number of tubes m must be governed by the area of the pipes & and distributed throughout the generators.

I The invention is not limited to the proportions enumerated, but from experience they are the most desirable, and these proportions are given to enable the constructor to make a plant with certainty of successful operation.

he generators may be reduced in size as well as increased by the skilled mechanic without departing from the s irit of the invention. A1 of the valves shoul be gate-valves or keyunobstructed pasvalves to form direct or sages for the fluid. I

The retort E should be about equal in diameter to the generators and about twothirds the length thereof, the retort F about two-thirds the length of retort E, and the' washers should be about the'size ofthe gen- The method involved in this invention is claimed in a divisional apiplication for a patled November 14,

The generators C are charged from tank K with crude petroleum, preferably in the con-' dition in which it .istaken from the earth, (the specific gravity of which varies in different localities,) to a depth of about three feet, and the washers are supplied with Water toabout four feet in depth. Cold water is charged into the Washers and is maintained at a temperature below the temperature of the gas coming from the generators. The retort E must be heated (and in practice it has been found that from 400 to 600 Fahrenheit is sufficient) to vaporizethe oil, the" retort F heated'to from 400 to 700 (when-charcoal is used in the latter retort) to make fuel-gas to be burned direct without the use of a holder, and the fixing. apparatus in the furnace G to from 1,000 to 1,200 Fahrenheit to fix the gas for illuminating urposes, Care must be taken to prevent t e retorts being heated to a degree to ignite the charcoal.

Therefore when retort F alone is used to dry or fix the vapors or gas emanating from retort E clean coke should be used in retort F and. may be heated to from 10Q0 to 1500 Fahrenheit with safety. Steam is now su plied through .ipe t to the chamber h of t e aireheater B, t e pump A put into operation and air forced into the heater under an initial pressure of from four to fifteen pounds to the square irich, the pressure varying according to the proportionate size of the lant. and heatedto about Fahrenheit uring the first stage of the operation. heater the air is conductedinto the. chamber 7' of the first generator 0 and passes down through the tubes m into the chamber 11, where it comes in contact with the oil, agitates it, and passes up through the perforations in the plate Z and through the body of the oi above said plate and mingles with the permanent gas, always present in the oil in its crude state, and then from the space above the oil it enters the branch q a d flows through pipe 'i into the next genera or C and throughout the entire series of generators into and through the washer D, then into the retort E, Where it mingles with and is en- From the v riched by the gas evolved-from the oil vapo I gas is preferably conducted from the retort F to the cooler H, the'gas having been sufiiciently-dried or heated in said retort to make a fixed gas and is in condition to be diStI'lb'. uted through. mains or supply '-.pipes to the place or places of-consumption or to a holder; but in the manufacture of illuminating-gas it may be found desirable .to conduct the gas from the primary retort E through the secondary retort F and then to the fixing the washer apparatus, and from the fixing apparatus the e gas should be conducted throu I to relieve it of any impurities, suchas carhem-formed in the fixer before conducting the gas to the holder.

In starting the operation of the plant, the retort and the fixing apparatus may be heatpassed through the washer D by making a connection between the pipe 0 and the burners in their respective furnaces, vor the gas may be used for general heating purposes from said point, or the gas after having been enriched in the Tretorts E and Fv and passed through the cooler H maybe conducted from pipe N for use asaheatinggasto be consumed as fastv as it generated when short supply-mains are required to reach the place of consumption. i

The plant is worked with the air or the oil heated to about 90 until the permanent gas in the oil and the emanations of theoil capable of being liberated at so low a degree of temperature havebeen carried'oif, .and the gas shows -signs of becoming lean, "short or weak. This is what is designated the first stage in the operation. Steam is then admitted to the coils s in the generators C, and

the oil heated to further liberate the gas and .ed by gas evolved in the generators and gas the emanations of the oil and evolve the oil into gas, the heat being increased as the operation progresses forthe purpose of keeping the quality of the gas at a fixed standard, which =may be ascertained by a" test light burning The oil in the generators may be kept at the depth indicated by providing themwith automatic feeding devices or by forcing oil in from the supply-tank.

In the operation of the plant or apparatus a large quantity of refined oil of a superior quality, the result of distillation or con ensa- .tion, collects upon the surface of the water in l the washer. D, which may be drawn off through pipe I) of said Washer and conveyed through plpes (not shown) to a suitable receptacle, such as M. This oil is of a specific gravity of about which is much lighter than the oil of the original charge and is transparent and may be used for'enriching a subsequent charge in the generators, or it may oil requires no treatment with sulfuric acid and caustic soda to bleach it and will therefore feed up the wick of a lamp better than oil thus treated. I

The heavy or residual oil in the generators, which has been worked down to a low specific gravit is conducted from the generators to the'tank L, from'which it is conducted into the feeder It of the retorts E and to be used in subsequent charges for enriching the from the generators, or the residual oil may be conducted directly from the generators to the feederR. heavy or residual oil in the presence of charcoal or coke in the reterts,all of the oil may be converted into gas and the formation of coal-tar of hard or baked carbon from the oil prevented forming in the retorts.

It will be observed that seven generators. are shown, the purpose of which is that the heavy oil may be drawn from one generator at a time, thereby keeping a full complement of, preferably six, generators in use for'making gas.

In making illuminating-gas by the apparatus herein described the oil in the generators should be heated from about 150 Fahrenheit to 250 Fahrenheit, as the specific gravity of the oil decreases and the entire method worked moderately until the gaseous product from the generators reaches the fixing apparatus, and the heat of the fixing apparatus shouldbe maintained at a temperature not exceedin 1 ,200 nor less than 1 ,OOO, which can be easi y done by using the gas as a heating medium. The candle-power of the gas may be ascertained by a test-light or by a photometer, such as the well-known Jones instrument.

By thus working the be utilized as a burning-oil .for lamps. The

any cause, care should be taken to close the valve in the pipe between the pump and the air-heater. This becomes necessary to prevent back pressure driving the liquid in one generator back into another. should be of a capacity to supply air to the generators at a moderate speed of the pump to prevent. carrying oil from one generator to the other, thus allowing the excessive particles of oil taken up by the air to precipitate in each generator and "affording time for the air and the gaseous emanations from or products of the oil to combine with the air and form a fixed gas.

In making fuel-gas the same operation is practiced with reference to the heat applied to the oil in the generators and the working of theair-pump.

In the practical operation of the invention by heating the residual oil in the retorts in the presence of charcoal or coke and converting said oil into as the fact has been demonstrated repeated y that no coal-tar is formed in the retorts, and as aconsequence no solidi-. fied carbon adheres to the inside of the retorts, which when formed invariably causes the metal of which the retorts are formed to be burned by preventing the oil coming in contact with the metal where it is exposed to a high degree of heat, and it has further been demonstrated that all the oil can be converted into gas, if desired.

When the pores of the charcoal or coke become filled, so that it can no longer take up and give oif the oil in the gas, it should be removed from the retorts and fresh charcoal or coke supplied. This condition of the charcoal will be manifested by the presence or accumulation of thick oil, which will be shown in the sight-gage applied to the horizontal necks of the retorts, but not shown in the through the main drawings. The aseous product from the generators may a l be-conducte'd through the retorts, or part may be permitted .to flow N and mingle with the gas from the retorts, and all or part of the'gas from retort E may be conducted through retort F by manipulation of the valves connecting the main with the retorts and the re torts with each other and will be readily learned by the operator, as the quality of'the gas will require.

When working with fresh oil in all the generators, the gas is of sufficient richness to omit the retorts and is conducted from the washer D (or the washer may be omitted) through main N without passing through the retort or retorts until the gas shows signs of becoming weak or lean, when by manipulating the valve 0 in the main N and valve 6 in pipe (1 all or part of the gas from the generators may be conducted through the retort or retorts.

The water in the washer D may be with- 130 When it is desired to stop the pump for The air-pump i5 tort.

drawn, and the vessel may be used to arrest the light oil of distillation and condensation om the generators, and thus prevent it be ing carrie into the main N and into the re- 5, tort E when used or to the burners or holder when the retort or retorts are not being used.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination of an air-pump, a pluto rality of generators, means for collecting light oil, a'retort, means for supplying residual oil thereto, a main gas-pipe and connections therewith and with the retort between thev generators and the retort and beyond the re- 2. A generator consisting of upper and lower removable heads, perforated diaphragms adjacent to the connecting said diaphragms, chambers in the heads at each end of the generator and heating-coil within the generator, in comb nation with supply and discharge pipes, stantially as described.

3. A generator consisting of an upper head 25 and a perforated diaphragm adjacent thereto, a lower head and a perforated diaphragm 1 adjacent thereto, in combination with a supheads and tubes] ply-pipe communicating with the chamber in the ead at the upper end of the generator, a

pipe within said chamber, and a pipe for congenerator, tially as described. 4. Apparatus for ing of an air-pump, a retort, in combination with a washer, means for collecting light or refined oil, a supplytank, a residual-oil holder and intermediate connections substantially as described.

j 5. Apparatus for; generating gas, consisting of an air-pump, an air-heater, a series of connected generators means for collecting refined or light oil, a retort, means for directing part or all the gas from the generators into i the retort, a residual-oil feeder for the retort and suitable connections substantially as described.

-In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN E. ALLEN, Administrator of the estate of James J. ,Jolmston, deceased. itnesses:

HIRAM G. BYE, HENRY STALEY.

generating gas, consistmy signature a series of generators and 

